In the Classroom with Nanny

My eldest granddaughter is suffering from tonsillitis, so I have been called on for some childcare for the past couple of days.   Yesterday she mainly slept, and I managed to get out in the garden and do a bit of gardening, and then we played some board games in the afternoon.

Today she was a little brighter, but still wasn't well enough to go to school, much as she wanted too as it was her favourite lessons today - cookery and art.

So it was Nanny to the rescue, and we did some cooking and some craft.

 First we made:

Loaf of bread made in the slow cooker

Whilst that we cooking we made:  (as we were using the slow cooker for the bread, we cooked this in the oven.

Large choc chip, raisin and fudge cookie with mini choc eggs on top

After lunch we did some crafting and I taught her how to make:

faux leather

My piece is on the right, her two pieces are on the left.   The photo doesn't do them justice as they are actually quite a bit darker in real life.

Not sure whether I will have my "nurses" hat on again tomorrow, we shall wait and see.

Fakeaway

What's that you ask - well it is an imitation donner kebab done in the slow cooker.

I kept seeing everybody raving about it on the slow cooker page on fb and thought I had better give it a try. Now I have never had a donner kebab in my life, so wasn't sure what to expect.

Well it turned out quite well, and I enjoyed it, although my husband said it was a little too spicy for him. However, as there was enough left over for another meal, he got it again today, but reheated in gravy and served with mash and veg!

I may well make it again, but not put in so many herbs, but it was a change - don't know about you but it is nice to have something a bit different occasionally, and it was very easy to make!

slow cooker -bread puidding

My first attempt at cooking bread pudding in my slow cooker.  Won't  be the last!

I used as usual the old family recipe - no suet, but it does contain grated apple and carrot.

Lemon and Herb Chicken

Well I have been experimenting again with the slow cooker.  I have made this before but in the oven, so thought I would try it out in the slow cooker.

The packet says add a sliced onion, couple of med carrots and new potatoes and drumsticks.  However, I used ordinary potoes, but cut hem into cubes, and chicken breasts which I also cut into cubes.

the packet mix

in slow cooker ready to go

The finished dish served with runner beans

I was really very nice, and I shall do it this way again.  I am not a great lover of chicken, though OH is.  The chicken was so tender done this way.

Slow Cooker successes and slight failure!

I am trying to be good and use my slow cooker more often.  (Well no point in being given a Christmas pressie that you asked for if you don't use it!)

Here are a couple of successes:

Rice pudding with raisins

Second attempt at bread - using a packet mix

and today was an Oops day.  I had seen a recipe for Baked Apples on the net (thought I had saved the recipe - but then could 't find it) - so did another little trawl today.   This recipe said so many hours on low (but it was too late to do that) or 4 hours on high.  However, four hours was too long - the apples had exploded when I checked how it was doing after 2 hours!

Oops!

However, as you can see all was not lost when I added a few spoonfuls of mincemeat to it, and as stewed apple it was "delish" - and there was enough to freeze for another day, when I will probably add a crumble topping to it.

Playing with Christmas Presents

A needle felted rabbit, made with a kit my daughter bought me

My first production from my new slow cooker that my son bought me - a loaf of bread

tasted quite good

Had fun with the bread - it rose rather well in the proving stage, and I had to scrape some of it off the lid - the next loaf will be half the recipe - lol!